Good Intentions About the Wrong Idea
by Tyloric
Summary: Prompt: "Clint's elderly neighbor doesn't like Coulson, and keeps trying to get Clint away from him. Why? Because she keeps seeing Clint with bruises, cuts, and she sees how he sometimes winces when he moves, like it hurts to even breathe. She adds of this up and assumes that Coulson is abusing him, and she doesn't see why a lovely young man like Clint should put up with that."


_**Note:** Originally posted on Archive of Our Own. I've decided to start porting over some of my more popular stories._

 **1.**

When Clint Barton first moves into the apartment next to Mrs. Hudson's, she's quite taken with him. He's a charming young man, tall, broad and very handsome, and she's especially fond of how polite he is. He always makes it a point to call her ma'am and always looks her right in the eye, though his taste in clothing is somewhat lacking.

Clint introduces her to his partner (she pays close attention to that wording) Phil Coulson, who is also very polite, but not nearly as outgoing with his emotions as Clint seems to be. He's nice enough, but Mrs. Hudson is still wary.

When she asks what both of them do for a living Clint says he's a mechanic and that Phil is a paralegal for a local lawfirm. He says it in a way that sounds rehearsed, but she decides not to call him on it.

But they are wonderful neighbors. Both are well mannered and even sometimes accept her invitations to join her for tea. Mrs. Hudson is a widow with no other family to speak of and she finds the she quite likes the company.

 **2.**

One day, as Mrs. Hudson is coming home from a bit of grocery shopping, she and Clint cross paths in the hall. She does a double take, and sure enough Clint has a very nasty black eye that is swollen shut.

"Good lord, what happened to you?" She asks a bit panickedly.

He stares at her for a long moment, his good eye blinking stupidly at her.

"I fell," he deadpans and heads straight into his apartment without another word.

 **3.**

Mrs. Hudson has never liked snooping or spying or any of those other stereotypes that are usually associated with woman her age. So she doesn't... at first.

A few weeks later, she bump into Clint in the hall again as he's arriving and she's leaving. There is a large cut along the side of his face and his knuckles are bruised and a little bloody.

Their gazes meet and Clint's eyes widen.

"I, uh, I was um... I was mugged," he stutters quickly and pushes past his door, shutting it quickly behind him.

Mrs. Hudson stands there awestruck for a few moments before Phil makes his way down the hall.

Her face turns stony, and Phil can't help but pause when he notices. "Is everything alright, Mrs. Hudson?" He asks levely.

She put hers hands on her hip and narrows her eyes. "What happened to that boy?"

Phil's face remains neutral, though his eyebrows raise a fraction. They both stare at eachother, neither willing to back down. "He was mugged," the man says eventually and walks in the apartment before she can comment.

 **4.**

So after that, yes, she does start snooping. Any time she hears the unmistakable sound of combat boots against wood coming down the hall, she finds some excuse to leave.

Most of the time, Clint looks fine. But other times he doesn't. Mrs. Hudson may be old, but she is not blind. She sees bruises peaking over the collar of his shirt and under his sleeves, other times he has a limp that he's trying very hard to hide.

One time, when it is just Mrs. Hudson and Phil in the hall, she walks up and slaps the man across the face. "Shame you you, you monster," she fumes.

Phil blinks rapidly for a few seconds before looking at her. He looks very tired.

He says nothing and gently scoots by her into his shared apartment.

 **5.**

One night, while Mrs. Hudson watching the news, she sees Clint running down the street, straight towards a robot that is about to stomp on a little boy. He rolls and scoops the child up in one swift movement, harshly throwing the boy out of the way.

In a quick follow through movement, the robot raises an arm a strikes Clint while his back is turned, and he goes flying off screen. Iron Man flies by quickly just as the screen goes black and the feed is switched back to the news room.

Mrs. Hudson is watching with wide teary eyes, a hand over her mouth.

She sees neither Clint nor Phil for a long while.

 **6.**

More than a week later, Mrs. Hudson hears a small commotion in the hall. When she looks, she sees Clint with a crutch tucked under one arm with Phil supporting his weight on the other, an arm wrapped tightly around Clint's waist. The boys face is different shades of black, purple, and yellow, with a long gash across his cheek.

They both still when they notice her, arms crossed across her chest, watching them worriedly.

"Is there anything I can do?" She asks.

Clint takes a deep breath, and says with a hoarse voice, "Some tea might be nice."

And she is happy to oblige.

 **E.**

From then on, Phil makes it a point to come knock on Mrs. Hudson's door whenever Clint is injured (and sometimes Clint does so for Phil) and she always brings them tea.

She doesn't mind at all.


End file.
